Negative Approach and Dinosaur Jr Members Played a Surprise St. Louis Show Last Night

Negative Approach and Dinosaur Jr Members Played a Surprise St. Louis Show Last Night
By Jaime Lees
Wed, Mar 22, 2017

Negative Approach, Trauma Harness and members of Dinosaur Jr played a show at the Way Out Club last night. It wasn’t technically a “secret” show, but it was unadvertised and promoted primarily via word of mouth. Dinosaur Jr slayed at a sold out concert at Delmar Hall just a few days ago, so as a professional courtesy this performance at the comparatively tiny Way Out Club was to stay fairly underground.

This smaller show was organized by Jeremy Kannapell, who in addition to being a seemingly inexhaustible show booker/promoter, is also the program coordinator for New Music Circle and performs his own music under the name Ghost Ice. Kannapell started putting the word out over the weekend and by the time doors opened at the Way Out Club on Tuesday night, it was clear from the size of the excited crowd waiting outside that word had gotten around.

Dinosaur Jr bassist Lou Barlow opened the night with a quiet, sincere, beautifully delicate solo set — just him sitting on a stool with a tiny guitar. The vibe of the room changed quickly when Dinosaur Jr guitarist J Mascis took the stage with a band made up of Dinosaur Jr’s hugely talented tour crew, and they launched into a set of songs by the Stooges. (It ripped, yo.) This was followed by Negative Approach, who drenched the place with so much energy that it seemed like it might explode. The headliner for the night was local band Trauma Harness, and these future legends fit in seamlessly alongside the established greats. KDHX DJ Jeff Hess provided music between the sets.

Many attendees described this show as even better than they could’ve imagined — saying that they felt honored to witness these unique performances at such a small venue for a mere $10. It was a memorable, magical experience.

We captured this holy night for you in photographs and in video. Please enjoy below.

PHOTOS:

Dancers on stage during the Stooges set / Photo by Jaime Lees

Lou Barlow from the side of the stage / Photo by Jaime Lees

Local heroes Trauma Harness / Photo by Jaime Lees

Where the magic happens / Photo by Jaime Lees

The Way Out Club, before the show / Photo by Jaime Lees

Lou Barlow of Dinosaur Jr soundchecks / Photo by Jaime Lees

This crowd was rippling like a river / Photo by Jaime Lees

More Lou Barlow / Photo by Jaime Lees

The late crowd loved Trauma Harness / Photo by Jaime Lees

The impossible-to-photograph Negative Approach / Photo by Jaime Lees

The bar was busy / Photo by Jaime Lees

The crowd waiting outside, just after the doors opened / Photo by Jaime Lees

DJ Jeff Hess spins records between sets / Photo by Jaime Lees

J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr with this excellent band / Photo by Jaime Lees

Lou Barlow of Dinosaur Jr plays a solo set / Photo by Jaime Lees

Bob Putnam, owner of the Way Out Club / Photo by Jaime Lees

John Brannon of Negative Approach at soundcheck / Photo by Jaime Lees

J Mascis feelin ‘it / Photo by Jaime Lees

VIDEOS:

Lou Barlow solo

J Mascis and Dinosaur Jr’s tour crew cover the Stooges

Negative Approach

Trauma Harness

Bonus footage – John Brannon of Negative Approach sings the Stooges’ “TV Eye” with Dinosaur Jr at Delmar Hall on March 19, 2017